In the field of footwear, it is common for shoes to be provided with heels which are replaceable. Replaceable heels are not uncommon for shoes cf males. The replacement of heels allows for a user to change the heel whenever the heel becomes worn through extended use. A new heel presents a better appearance and also abates the problem of walking on an uneven surface. Replacement of heels after extended use is normally done only once or a few times a year, at most, depending on usage of the shoe.
Replacement of heels of ladies' shoes, wherein the heels are high with respect to width, is less common than for men's shoes. This is true even though the need for replaceable high heels is greater than the need for replaceable low heels. Replaceable high heels for ladies' shoes, in addition to correction for wear, allows for changes in appearance. Replaceable high heels for ladies' shoes must be securely coupled to the sole portion of the shoe from a structural standpoint. From a functional standpoint, replaceable high heels will allow for changes in appearance through changes of heel color, texture, design, height, etc. This is of increasing importance with the emphasis on appearance of the wearer.
The present invention is directed to improving known devices for coupling heels to shoes in a manner which is safe, secure, convenient, economical and aesthetically pleasing.
The prior art discloses several types of connectors between heels and soles of shoes. By way of example, U.S. Pat. Nos. 1,482,763 to O'Neill and 3,068,592 to Antelo disclose men's shoes with replaceable heels. A plurality of specially designed fastener components are individually secured into the lower portion of a shoe sole. The lower portions of the fastener components are located in recesses of the heels of the shoes. The O'Neill device requires special fasteners and special heels. Alignment and coupling are solely dependent upon the fasteners. In Antelo, a central cross-shaped member extends upwardly from the heel for being received in a similarly shaped recess in the lower portion of the sole. Snap-like fastener components extend upwardly for being coupled in specifically sized recesses surrounding the cross-shaped member. In both O'Neill and Antelo, the coupling is between a heel and shoe of a man's shoe wherein the width is much greater than the height of the heel and wherein alignment is difficult due to the plurality of components which must be aligned.
Other male shoes with heel connecting components which are complex in design and difficult to operate include U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,403,592 to Fisk; 2,932,099 to Dardig; 4,014,115 to Reichert, and 4,409,745 to Musci.
Additional replaceable high heels are shown in U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,320,584 to Giesser and 4,805,320 to Goldenberg. These last two patents require complex mechanical couplings with joining or unjoining movements either axially or radially with respect to the axis of the heel in order to effect coupling. The coupling mechanisms are of excessively high cost and of marginal convenience.
Lastly, U.S. Pat. No. 3,977,095 to Phillips illustrates an additional disclosure of a replaceable woman's high heel. This device primarily consists of a magnetic spool which is embedded within the heel of a woman's shoe. The magnetic spool serves to removably receive an extending magnetic rod of a heel extension. Furthermore, the heel extension may be carried in a woman's use when not in use.
None of these prior art patents teaches or suggests the safe, secure, convenient, economical and aesthetically pleasing arrangement of coupling of heels to shoes as described herein. Known devices are simply lacking in one regard or another.
As illustrated by the great number of prior art patents, and known commercial devices, efforts are continuously being made to removably couple heels to shoes. None of these prior art efforts, however, suggests the present inventive combination of component elements arranged and configured as disclosed and claimed herein. Prior efforts do not provide the benefits attendant with the present invention. The present invention achieves its purposes, objectives and advantages over the prior art devices through a new, useful and unobvious combination of component elements, through the use of a minimum number of functioning parts, at a reduction in cost to the manufacture, and through the utilization of only readily available materials and conventional components.
It is, therefore, an object of the present invention to provide a shoe having an upper and a sole and with a block downwardly extending from the lower portion of the sole adjacent to the heel and with a magnetic plate facing downwardly from the block, an improved replaceable heel having an upper surface with an upwardly facing recess therein and a magnetically responsive plate face upwardly on the lower surface of the recess.
It is a further object of the present invention to magnetically couple heels to shoes in a removable manner which is safe, secure and convenient for the user.
It is a further object of the invention to manufacture replaceable heels economically.
It is a further object of the present invention to allow a wearer of shoes to change the heel to suit the user's desire and render the wearer's appearance aesthetically pleasing.
It is a further object of the present invention to coordinate the heel of a shoe with the remainder of the wearer's apparel for the sake of fashion.
These objects and advantages should be construed as merely illustrative of some of the more prominent features and applications of the present invention. Many other beneficial results can be obtained by applying the disclosed invention in a different manner or by modifying the invention within the scope of the disclosure. Accordingly, other objects and advantages, as well as a fuller understanding of the invention, may be had by referring to the summary and detailed description of the preferred embodiment of the invention in addition to the scope of the invention as defined by the appended claims taken in conjunction with the accompanied drawings.